Wire staple former and stapling apparatus



Sept. 30, 1947. H, o 2,428,026

WIRE STAPLE FORMER AND STAPLING APPARATUS Filed May- 13, 1945 I 5 sheeos slneec, 1

' .INVENTOR BY Hans 0. //'msc'/5e r ATTORNEY Spt. 30, 1947. H. o. IRMSCHER WIRE STAPLE FORMER AND STAPLING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet -2 Filed May 13, 1943 ,l lnl fl hml I INVENTOR Haws Q/r/msMe/ A TTORNE Y ep 1947. H. 0, IRMSCHER 6 WIRE STAPLE FORMER AND STAPLING APPARATUS Filed May 13, v1943 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORY 1 I B M 1%21/25 O/rmc/fer ATTORNEY Pt- 3 1947. HQO. IRMSCHER I 2,423,026

7 WIRE STAPLE FORMER AND STAPLING APPARATUS v Filed May 13, 1943 v I 5 Sheet s-Sh eet 4 Blu I 1 l i l I I I l l l I i 00. 9 I [80 37 0/ I 3.600

I 5d Cam. Pam 0f Control-[2129 4 25 nvmvroza. Groove Holler Mo vemeni' of Haws O /rmscfierf 25a 429 Presser 42 B2 I 2567 326 Head Die 35 25c 368 Cutters 66a L 25d 388 Setterv 38p.

Sept. 30, 1947.

' WIRE STAPLE FORMER .AND smrune APPARATUS Filed May 13, 1943 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 I a 37 '55J JEQ .386

A TT ORNE Y H. o. lRMSCllE R 2,423,026-

a .ing andstapling apparatus portions.

UNITED STATES 2,428,026 PATENT OFFICE WIRE STAPLE FORMER AND STAPLING APPARATUS Hans 0. Irmscher, East He'mpstead, Long Island, N. Y., assignor to National Urn Bag 00., Inc.,

Long Island City, N.

York

Application May 13,

7 Claims.

. This invention relates to the manufacture of staples from wire strands and the application thereof as fasteners or other like purposes. More particularly the invention is directed to an apparatus for converting a continuous wire of a bendable material, such as drawn metals of steel,

copper, aluminum, bronze or of other suitable composition into staples and applying same in situ as fastener means.

Among the objects of the invention is to generally improve apparatus of the character described which shall comprise few and simple parts that are readily assembled to form a relatively "small compact device which can be conveniently incorporated in machine constructions or combined with other mechanisms for various purposes, which shall becheap to manufacture, which shall operate smoothly and reliably at a high out- "put capacity, which shallrequire a minimum of attention in operation and maintenance, and which shall bepractical and eiiicient to a high degree in use.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

This invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combination of elements and arrangements of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described and of which the scope of the application will be indicated in the following claims;

In the accompanying drawings, in which is shown. one possible. illustrative embodiment of the invention:

:- Figs. 1 and 2 .areifront elevational and top plan views, respectively, of a wire staple former and stapling apparatus constructed to embody the invention with-the parts shown in open position to receive sheet material, strands or the like (not shown) to be fastened together by a formed staple in the well understood manner.

Figs. 3, 4 and-5 are cross-sectional views taken on lines 3-3, l-Aand 5 -5 in Fig. 1, respectively, Figs. 3 and5 showing the interior construction of the wire feeding and rolling apparatus portions, and the relationof the latter to the cylinder ating slide members and lever of the controlled moveable parts of the wire feeding, staple form Y., a corporation of New 1943, Serial No. 486,735

Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional View as seen along lines 9-9 in Fig. 5 showing interior construction of the wire feeding and drawing portions and a top view jaw head and head die.

Figs. 9A and 9-B are sectional views of the staplewire stock before and after, respectively, passing through the improved stapling apparatus.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged cross-sectional view as seen along lines |0 |0 in'Fig. 9 showing portion 10 of the staple formingconstruction.

. Fig. 11 is a fragmentary sectional view showing portion of the, improved apparatus with a formed staple in position to be applied as fastening means. a a

Fig. 12 is a cross-sectional view taken on lines I.2l2 in Fig. 11 showing the position of the parts at the beginning of the staple driving operation.

Figs. 13 and 14 are enlarged fragmentary sectional views showing successive steps in clinching a formed staple as shown'in Figs. 11 and 12 and applied as means for fastening a tag to the end of a string, and I v 4 Fig. 15 is a front elevational view of a tag anchored tothe end of a string by stapling with the improved apparatus embodying the invention. 7 Referring in detail to thedrawing, 20 denotes a combination wire staple former and stapling apparatus constructed to embody the invention.

- Said embodiment is adapted to anchor by means of a metallic wire drawn staple S, a paper tag T to the end of a string or cord C, as shown in Fig.

15. It is to be understood that the improved apparatus 20-can be utilized to fasten together 591' anchor sheet materials, strands or the like,

for numerous purposes and various requirements.

As seen from Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, and 7, a

constant rotative power for apparatus 20 maybe supplied from any suitablesource (not shown) in the well understood manner to a main drive-shaft 2| which is journalled'between spaced bearings blocks 22a extending from a suitable base frame 22, the latter having firmly fastened thereto by screws 23a, a backing plate 23.

Said shaft'2l has mounted to turn therewith a cylinder type cam 25, secured by suitable means such as set screw 2Ia, shown in Fig. 7. Said cam 25 has cut into the curved surface thereof four spaced continuous grooves 25a, 25b, 25c and 2501 which conform to the pattern layout P shown as a diagrammatic development in Fig. 8, as required for the various movements of the parts of apparatus hereinafter described.

' As seenfrom Figs. 1, 2 and 9 a suitably drawn wire or strand W is continuouslysupplied from a suitable source,;such as a reel (not shown) in the well understood manner through a guiding conduit 21 so as to pass between a pair of rolling wheels 28 and 29. In the passage of the wire W between said-wheels 28"and 29, the stock of said 3 wire W m lt b changed in cross section'al shape from a circular as shown in Fig. 9Ato a flattened shape S, as shown in Fig. Q-B. The wheels 28 and 29 in pp ng the wire W turn on shafts 28a and 29a, respectively, said wheels 28 and 29'? being secured to underlying sides of meshed gears .3 28b and 29b, respectively, as shown in Figs.

2and 5.

Said gears 28b and 29b are loosely interme'shed so that space between wheels 28 and 29 may be adjusted for limited separation. To this end the shaft 29a, as shown in 'Fig. 5 is pivotably mounted at a lower end 290 thereof to an extension piece 32a projecting from an end of an elongated slide member .32 which is mounted to reciprocate in av slideway 222) on the frame 22 between the backing plate 23 and the cylinder cam 25. Said extension piece 32a also has the lower end 23n of shaft 2Bg bolted thereto. A

desired adjustment setting of the spacing of wheels 28 and 29 is providedthrough a yoke member 3 3 pivoted at 3.3a on a headed upper end 280 of shaft 28a at a spaced distance from said extension piece 32a. Said yoke member 33 has fitted therein a threaded space adjuster stop 33b against which the upper free end 29d of shaft 290. is releasibly retained by a knurl-headed finger screw 330, as shown in Figs. 2 and 5. The threaded adjuster stop 33bmay be secured in positionby a set screw 33d. It is thus seen that the spacing of wheels 23 and can be varied within limits by loosening the finger screw 33c, swinging yoke member 33 on pivot 33a to permit setting the threaded adjusterstop 33b and then refastening said finger screw 330 after reseating said yoke member 33. t i

As shown in Figs. 1 and 3, there is mounted against the under sideof gear 282) to turn therewith a ratchet wheel 28d. 7 A coiled spring-pressed pawl 28c mounted to pivot on a pin 28 carried at the free end of a lever 28g cooperates with ratchet wheel 28d. The other end of lever 28g may trunnion on shaft 2 8 h held by a bracket portion 23b extending from backing plate 23, as shown in Figs. -1 and 3. A link 287' connects a mid portion of lever 28 with extension piece 32a through pivot pins 281:: and 28m carried on said lever 28g and extension piece 321;, respectively. As said extension piece 32a. is reciprocated with slide member 32, lever ;28g swin gs on trunnion shaft 281:. and the movement thereof causes the pawl 28c to engage with the ratchet wheel 2811 for intermittently turning the gear 28?) and the meshing gear 2% to roll the wire W passing from conduit 2'! between wheels 28 and 29. The rolled wire S then passes through a curved conduit 21a and into a staple forming portion 200; of apparatus 20, said conduits 2] and 21a being secured by screw fastening means ZIb on spaced arms 32 upstanding from extension piece 32a and m n er w h- T e heade u er end :2 c n sh 2. carries thereon spaced from pivot 330., a lever 31 teri at ns in an er s e a d 11 a lever 31 being pivotably mounted on a stud shaft 31b to extend said lever 31in alignment with the direction of travel of .slideway 22b. Said lever 31 is positioned on shaft 3lbbetween adjustable spacing collars 31c and 31d, and is pressed down by a flat spring 31c carried by colla r .310 as shown in Figs. 2 and .6. Lever stop end3'la serves to en age the mid portion of each staple S so as to clamp the same when forming-as shown in Figs. 11 and 12. The lever 31 cooperates with the staple forming portion 200. of apparatus 20 which is 4 mounted on the leading end of said slide member 32, and forms a movable unit with thewire feeding and rollng mechanism above described carri'ed on extension piece 32a of slide member 32.

As seen in Figs. 10 to 14, the staple former portion 23a includes a head die 35 having a cover plate 35c secured by screws 35d, said head die .35 communicating through a groove 35a with conduit 27a. for the passage of the rolled wire stock S therethrough. A central plunger or setter 38a, hereinafter referred to also as settor, flanked along opposite longitudinal edges by a pair of spaced end bender-cutters 36a extend through said head die 35 under the cover plate 350, said bender-cutters 36a having one end of said pair secured on a cross-head 35b which has a clamp strap 36c fastened by screws 36d, the other end of said pair extending to ride in tracks 3512 provided in head die 35 under said cover plate 350, as shown in Figs. 4 and 10. The setter 38a. slidingly .passes through the cross-head 33b and is secured by one end thereof on a cross-head 381 by a clamp strap 330 which is retained by a pin and screw 3841, as shown in Fig. '6.

The cross-heads 33b and 38b terminate slide members 36 and 38, respectively, said members being constructed with head die 35 of the staple forming portion 20a, cross-head 36b and crosshead 38b arranged in tandem relation in the plane of movement of slide member 32, as shown in Figs. 6 and'lZ. Said slide members 32, 36 and 38 may be assembled in superimposed or overlying positions and are mounted for independent sliding movement in slideway 22b, and mounted on inner ends of said slide members 32, 36 and 38, are suitable cam rollers 32c, 33c and 38a, respectively, which ride in grooves 25!), 25c and 25d, respectively, of the cam 25, as shown in Figs. 3 and 6. I

Aligning and outwardly spaced from the die head 35, a suitable fixed jaw head 40 is provided, said jaw head 40 being seated to terminate the end 41a of a rigidly mounted J-shaped arm 4|. Spaced pins 23d upstanding from frame 23 and a finger screw Mb releasibly secure said arm 4| rigidly in position as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. A slideway 40a extends through the jaw head 40 and has a staple prong clincher presser member 4-2 slidingly mounted to reciprocate therein. Said presser member 42 may be supported by a suitable screw adjusting mounting 42c from an end of a slide rod 421) which is mounted for movement on arm 4|.

Said slide rod 42b may be retained by spaced screw and slot connection 420 to said arm 4i and through a pivot pin 42 f connects with a mid portion of a lever 42d. The outer end of said lever 42d may pivot on a screw 43a that extends up from a rigidly mounted extension plate 43, the latter being secured to the frame 22 by a spaced pin and screw fastening means 23e. The inner end of said lever 42d extends over the cam 25 and carries a roller 42g which rides in cam groove 25a, as shown in Figs. 2 and 7.

It is desirable that a casing cover 44 secured by screws 44a be provided, said cover 44 with the bearing blocks 22a of the base frame 2'2 forming a housing to enclose the cylindrical cam 25 and the operating parts extending therefrom.

The various parts of apparatus 20 which are .c nst u d a d ass b ed ivom e i timed relation are controlled by'through cam 25, a development of which may be as shown at P in Fig. 8. From the above described parts of apparatus assembled as shown" "wed e The drawn wire" W is inserted into conduits '2'! and 21a and between the rollers28"and'-29 with the finger screw33cloose. On tightening saidscrew 330 the .two. rollers 28 and 29 will be brought into desired, spaced relation for rolling the'wire W from a, circular cross-sectional shape to aflattened shape, as is shown in Figs. 9A and 9B," respectively. By providing 'a suitable power drive to shaft 2i the cylindrical cam 25 will be rotated and slide members, 36 and 38 and lever 42' will be moved through the'action of the rollers 32e, 36e,'38e and 42e riding in cam grooves 25a, 25b, 25c and 25d, respectively. If then articles such as the tag T and string or cord C are to be stapled, the die head35-may be provided with a suitable edge groove for seating the cord C with the ta'g T retained by any suitable means against the die head 35 while the slide member 32'is retracted to its extreme inwardly moved position for-separating the jaw head 40 from the die head 35, as shown in Figs. 3' and 9. In Fig. 3 the dotted line position shown of slide member 32 is its extreme outwardly moved position.

When the leading end of wire S reaches the position to occupy and extend through groove 35a inthe staple forming portion a with the die head 35 separate from the jaw head 40 and the tag T and'cor'd C inserted therebetween, as described above, the finger stop end 310. of lever 36 is positioned as shown in Figs. 6 and 9. Now on rotation of the powerdriveshaft 2|, the cam through movement of. slide members 36 and 38- will first cause the bender-cutters 36a and setter 38a, respectively, to move into the'position shown in Fig. 11 for cutting 01f a portion of wire S and bending and piercing prongs thereon to provide a 'U -shaped structure.

and jaw head 40, as

head 35. and jaw head 40 have already causedv the prongs to simultaneously pierce the tag T and thendefiect said prongs toward-each other by tapered guide portions 40b terminating slideway 40a of jaw member 40. The prongs of staple S will finally be clinched to firmly anchor the tag T to thecord C, as is clear from the successive steps shown in Figs. 11, 13 and 14.

Each rotation of the cam 25 through the movement of roller 32a in cam groove 25b reciprocates the slide member 32 with the extension 32a and, as has already been described, will intermittently turn the rollers 28 and 29 through the meshed gears 28b and 29b, respectively, and the combined turning movement of the ratchet wheel 28d by the pawl 28e and the rectilinear motion of the unit carried by slide extension 3211.. This above described operation not only rolls the wire W but also is feeding the same to the staple forming portion 20a and serves to draw the wire W from the; supply source.

By providing movable presser member 42 re- ,ciprocatedthrough the slide rod 42b and lever 42d in timed relation by means of the movement of roller 42g in cam groove 25a, positive clinching of the deflected staple prongs is eifected with the application of a minimum degree of The head die '35. through they movement of slide member ,32willmove to clamp the tag T and cord C firmly member is. so arranged and constructed to be extended in operation beyond the tapered guide portion 40b, as shown in Figs. 1 and ,9, so that should no material be inserted between the jaw head :40 and the die head 35, any clinched or loosestaples S formed will be ejected and thereby prevent clogging or other defective operations. 7

Extremely high operating speed is made pos sible with apparatus 20 because of the arrangement and construction of theparts above described which provide that the forcing of the U- bent staple, structure S through the material, such as tag T and cord 0, and finally clinching same takes less than one twelfth the time of a complete cycle of operation, comprising one revolution'of the cam 25. The remaining eleven twelfths of the cycle can be utilized to move the material T and C to be stapled in and out of clamped'position between the head die 35 and jaw head 40. It should be noted that the roller Hg in cam groove 25a which controls themovement of presser member 42 through slide rod 42g is arranged to be in advance of the other cam roller movements which must be taken into consideration when calculating the above timing from the cam development shown in Fig. 8.

It is thus seen that there is provided an apparatus in which the several objects of this invention are achieved and which are well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention, and as various changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that all matters herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings are to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. i

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A combination staple former andstapling apparatus comprising a movable head die and a plurality of means for moving in timed relation including wire feeding and rolling unit, a staple former portion for cutting and bending into U-shaped staples a wire fed by said unit, said former portion having a setto-r mounted on said head die, and a jaw head cooperating with said settor and head die Lfor driving the staples through material positioned between the head die and the jaw head, said means also including a control cam for actuating said unit and the head diewiththe settor in relation to the jaw head, the'latter carrying a presser. member actuated by said cam for clinching driven staple ends, said pressermember being constructedand arranged to be extended by said cam beyond the jaw head for cooperating in ejecting formed staples on failure to provide material to be fastened to the apparatus.

' 2. A combination staple former and stapling apparatus comprising a movable head die and a settor and head die for driving the staples through material positioned between the head die and the jaw head, said means also including a control cam for actuating said unit and the head die with the settor in relation to the jaw head, the latter carrying a presser member a at by said c m f s i ri n sta e th; jaw head, the cam control serving to extend said presser memberbeyond said slideway tapered sides for ejecting staples inefiectively formed.

f 's'g said b be hav ng a l dewer q Said, presser member, said slideway terminating in '3, A combination staple iormer and stapling apparatus comprising a movable head die and a plurality of means for moving in'timed relation including wire [feeding and rolling unit, a staple ioriner'portion for cutting and pending intofm shaped staples a'wire fed by said finit, said ,or r i n having a se e eter n said head die, and a jaw head cooperating with said settor and head die for driving the staples through material positioned between the head d n the law ad said; m ans elm e midie a control cam for actuating said unit and the head die with the settor in' relation tothe jaw head, the latter carrying'a presser member actuated by said cam for clinching driven staple ends, said control cam including'a multizgroove cylinder in which the staple driving "movements of said did head with the, jaw! head and the clinching by said presser member are constructed and arranged to take place within one tenth of each revolution of said' cylinder.

41A combination staple former and stapling apparatus comprising, a'movable head die and a plurality of meansfor moving in timed relation including wire feeding and rolling unit, a staple former portion for cutting and bending into U sha aples re ed a u it sai mr er portion having a settor mounted on said head die, and a jaw head cooperating with said settor and head die for driving the staples through material portioned between the head die for driving the staples through material portioned between the head die and the jaw head, said means also including a control cam for actuating said unit and the head die with the settor th jaw head, the latter carrying i e a i n o a presser member actuated by said cam for clinching driven sftaple ends, said control cam constructed and arranged to provide movements for operating the wire feeding and rolling unit and staple former portion, said portion including slide members actuated through said cam, said wire feeding and rolling unit being mounted to r p ca h n o th sai d me for drawing wire from a supply source.

5. A combination staple former and stapling app s cbm risin a mov b 'h ad i i 'an a plurality of means for moving in timed relation including wire feeding and rolling unit, a staple former portion for cutting and bending into U-shaped staples a wire fed by said unit, said former portion having a setterv mounted on said head die, and a jaw head cooperating with said setter and head die for driving the staples through material positioned between the head die and jaw head, said means also including a control cam for actuating said unitand the head die with the settor in relation to the jaw head, the latter carrying a presser member actuated by said cam for'clinching driven staple ends, said control-cam comprising a multiegrooved cylinder constructed and arranged to provide movements 8 for o e t n r fe din n mmllg un and staple former portion, said portion including slide members actuated. throu h" Said. cyli d said wire feeding unit being mounted to reciprocate with one of said slide members for drawing the wire from a supply source, said cam being constructed and arranged so that. the staple driv ing movement of said settor and die head with the jaw head and the clinching by said presser inlrnber takeplace within one tenth oi each'revo; ls i np th er- 1 6- ombina s ple former an a l n ap ar tu sewer-hi a m va le a die n a p urali 9? mean e ma i ime rsl'a e in l ding W e e n an se n r t a t e iermsr R9 iQ e se t n a d end lint? l-s a d s ap e a wir e b a n said or er ion ha n et e m n d n am heed i and, a J w ead qo a w t sa d sette a d hea i r driving v ta les through material positioned between the head die and the jaw head, the latter carrying a presser member actuated by said cam for clinchin driven staple ends, said jaw head having a slideway for said presser member, said slideway terminat ing in outwardly tapered sides for bending opposite end portions of the wire U-shaped structure toward each other on movement of the head die toward the jaw head, the cam control serving to extend said presser member beyond said slideway tapered sides for ejecting staples, ineffectively formed, said control cam including a multiegrooved cylinder constructed and arranged so that staple driving movements of said die head with the jaw head and clinchin by said presser member occur. with said die head and jaw head separated for the insertion of the material to be stapled therebetween for a greater part of each revolution ofthe cylinder.

'7. A combination staple former and stapling apparatus comprising a movable head die and'a plurality of means for moving in timed relation including wire feeding and rolling unit, a staple former portion for cutting and bending into U-shaped staples a wire fed by said unit, said former portion having a settor mounted on said head die, and a jaw head cooperating with said settor and head dies for driving the staples through material positioned between the head die and the jaw head, said means'eiso including a control cam for actuating said unit and the head die with the settor in relation to the jaw he t a t ea ing a p e s memb tuated by said cam for clinching driven staple ends, said wire feeding and rolling unit being REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the l th s Paisn UNICFED STATES PATENTS 

